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Why do most people in the US seem to never look abroad when it comes to healthcare? The US healthcare system is probably the most privatized in the developed w

Why do most people in the US seem to never look abroad when it comes to healthcare? The US healthcare system is probably the most privatized in the developed world. The systems in other developed countries (e.g. any European country) give more weight to the government, and have been shown by all sorts of metric to work much better. How can you still say "don't sign us up for more government"?

humanrebar 9y ago
> Why do most people in the US seem to never look abroad when it comes to healthcare? The Brits were just debating how much nurses should get paid. When government runs your organization, math and economics become subservient to politics. > The US healthcare system is probably the most privatized in the developed world. It has privatized profits, but the whole system is heavily regulated. Prices for things are certainly not set on open markets.
- TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
  > Prices for things are certainly not set on open markets. You say this, yet Americans pay twice as much for care that is of considerably lower quality than other civilized countries. Do you think it's a coincidence that in one of the most privatized for-profit healthcare industries in the civilized world, we pay more? Sure, other systems have issues and are not perfect, but that doesn't excuse America's substandard healthcare system.
  - humanrebar 9y ago
    Again, it's private and for profit, but it's not market based. It's just a big ball of bureaucracy, unintended consequences, and corruption (at least in the sense that the system isn't following its intended purposes). If it were market based, there would be a trivially discoverable price for commodity operations and such. How much does it cost for a skin cancer screening in Topeka? It depends? Well, that's a routine procedure that isn't really offered in the open market. It should just have published (and even advertised!) prices so normal consumers can shop around for quality screenings at fair prices. I'm very critical of the American healthcare system, if that wasn't clear. But its failings are certainly not being too market based or too unregulated.
    - rrock 9y ago
      "Golly, I may be having a heart attack. I think I should take a moment to shop around for a cardiologist, so I can get quality treatment for fair prices." Don't expect market forces to come to the rescue. It doesn't work that way.
      - SamReidHughes 9y ago
        It does for skin cancer screenings and most other care.
      - humanrebar 9y ago
        Emergency rooms and insurance makes a ton of sense for heart attacks. They makes little sense for routine things like cholesterol tests. Some things are very expensive but also predictable. Like giving birth. Or reparative plastic surgery. Or non-emergency heart surgery. People would shop around for those things as appropriate.
        EdSharkey 9y ago
        Our adversaries in this debate see government as a hyper-competent, wise dispenser of justice that is nearly akin to an invisible benevolent god and savior. I don't think your rational arguments will make a dent against their fervor.
        humanrebar 9y ago
        Often the goal is to let the like-minded know they're not alone. Other times it's to let the open minded know there's a rational position they might not have considered. I think part of combating our bubble-filled culture is to speak up even when it's not popular.
        EdSharkey 9y ago
        You are my people.
        9y ago
EdSharkey 9y ago
60% of health care nationally is paid for by the government. In more liberal states, it's closer to 75%.

humanrebar 9y ago

> Why do most people in the US seem to never look abroad when it comes to healthcare? The Brits were just debating how much nurses should get paid. When government runs your organization, math and economics become subservient to politics. > The US healthcare system is probably the most privatized in the developed world. It has privatized profits, but the whole system is heavily regulated. Prices for things are certainly not set on open markets.

TheAdamAndChe 9y ago
> Prices for things are certainly not set on open markets. You say this, yet Americans pay twice as much for care that is of considerably lower quality than other civilized countries. Do you think it's a coincidence that in one of the most privatized for-profit healthcare industries in the civilized world, we pay more? Sure, other systems have issues and are not perfect, but that doesn't excuse America's substandard healthcare system.
- humanrebar 9y ago
  Again, it's private and for profit, but it's not market based. It's just a big ball of bureaucracy, unintended consequences, and corruption (at least in the sense that the system isn't following its intended purposes). If it were market based, there would be a trivially discoverable price for commodity operations and such. How much does it cost for a skin cancer screening in Topeka? It depends? Well, that's a routine procedure that isn't really offered in the open market. It should just have published (and even advertised!) prices so normal consumers can shop around for quality screenings at fair prices. I'm very critical of the American healthcare system, if that wasn't clear. But its failings are certainly not being too market based or too unregulated.
  - rrock 9y ago
    "Golly, I may be having a heart attack. I think I should take a moment to shop around for a cardiologist, so I can get quality treatment for fair prices." Don't expect market forces to come to the rescue. It doesn't work that way.
    - SamReidHughes 9y ago
      It does for skin cancer screenings and most other care.
    - humanrebar 9y ago
      Emergency rooms and insurance makes a ton of sense for heart attacks. They makes little sense for routine things like cholesterol tests. Some things are very expensive but also predictable. Like giving birth. Or reparative plastic surgery. Or non-emergency heart surgery. People would shop around for those things as appropriate.
      - EdSharkey 9y ago
        Our adversaries in this debate see government as a hyper-competent, wise dispenser of justice that is nearly akin to an invisible benevolent god and savior. I don't think your rational arguments will make a dent against their fervor.
        humanrebar 9y ago
        Often the goal is to let the like-minded know they're not alone. Other times it's to let the open minded know there's a rational position they might not have considered. I think part of combating our bubble-filled culture is to speak up even when it's not popular.
        EdSharkey 9y ago
        You are my people.
        9y ago

EdSharkey 9y ago

60% of health care nationally is paid for by the government. In more liberal states, it's closer to 75%.